Bill Tieleman is one of BC's best known communicators, political commentators and strategists.
Bill is a political panelist regularly on CBC Radio and TV in BC and with other media.
Bill has been Communications Director in the B.C. Premier's Office and at the BC Federation of Labour.
Bill owns West Star Communications, a consulting firm providing strategy and communication services for labour, business, non-profits and government.

When backroom BC
Liberal Party and federal Conservative power broker John Reynolds meets behind
closed doors with Premier Christy Clark this week, only one question will be on
his mind:

"What will it
take, Madam Premier, to get you to quit your job?"

Of course, Reynolds
won't ask that question -- not directly anyway -- but the answer is driving BC
Liberals to distraction after two disastrous byelections losses last week in
Port Moody-Coquitlam and Chilliwack-Hope.

The two previous BC
Liberal strongholds both went New Democrat, stunning Clark's party with the
vehemence of anti-government voters.

The party line is
that "vote splitting" of the "free enterprise coalition" is
the problem but the reality is that Clark has alienated a majority of voters,
not just in the two ridings but across the province.

Politics in B.C. is a
brutal blood sport, with failure resulting in leadership changes.

And Clark didn't just
forfeit two safe seats, she led her party to historic losses.

In Port
Moody-Coquitlam, the NDP's Joe Trasolini cleaned up
with 54 per cent of the vote -- a higher percentage than former BC Liberal MLA
Iain Black took in the 2009 provincial election, in an area Clark herself used
to represent.

Even worse, Gwen
O'Mahoney's win in Chilliwack-Hope marks the first time the NDP has ever taken
the riding -- or any of the small-c conservative Fraser-Valley seats.

And while O'Mahoney's
41 per cent victory over BC Liberal Laurie Throness at 31 per cent and BC
Conservative John Martin's 25 per cent prompted Clark to complain about vote splitting,
the results came after voters were subjected to months of expensive messaging
telling them to ignore the upstart right-wing Conservative party.

Overall, about 70 per
cent of voters rejected Clark's government in the two ridings.

Fundrazors

That's what has both
Reynolds and Philip Hochstein, head of the union-loathing Independent
Contractors and Businesses Association -- and a huge BC Liberal donor that also
sponsored tough anti-NDP
ads -- very worried.

And while Reynolds is
publicly backing Clark's leadership so far -- "you've got a good leader --
we don't need to fight over that issue," he told CKNW's Bill Good on
Friday -- Hochstein doesn’t sound very sure.

"If there is no
way to have unanimity, then we lose the election. How that comes about and who
brings that together, I'm not sure who that is," Hochstein told
The Globe and Mail's Justine Hunter after the double loss.

In an opinion piece
in The Province newspaper, Hochstein exhorts British Columbians to support the
"free enterprise" coalition without once mentioning Clark.

But he does say:
"If it's about a name or label, then change it." Could the name to
change be Clark's?

What will happen next
isn't clear. Rumours continue about possible MLA defections from the BC Liberal
caucus to the BC Conservatives, something Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen
did last month, or to sit as independents until Clark steps down.

Meanwhile, in an
interestingly ironic move, Reynolds is co-chairing Clark's major party
fundraising dinner this June along with Ryan Beedie -- both of whom supported
her rival, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon, for the leadership last year.

Conservative
threat foretold

Beedie hired pollster
Hamish Marshall to conduct public opinion research for Falcon -- the same
Marshall who is now BC Conservative leader John Cummins provincial campaign
director.

After reading those
polls, Beedie sent out
a three-alarm fire call to business supporters of Falcon, stating
that: "Christy Clark is the candidate who poses the greatest risk to the
coalition, and thus the future success of the party."

For his part,
Reynolds put a last minute
knife into Clark's ribs in the final days of the contest, telling
the Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer that Clark, a lifetime federal Liberal, would
break apart the B.C. coalition of federal Conservatives and Liberals. "I
would prefer for the coalition to stick together but...," he said,
predicting that her victory would spark a BC Conservative Party revival.

That's exactly what
happened -- and now Reynolds and Beedie are trying to pull the party together
under the leader they strongly opposed.

For Christy Clark, with good friends like these
behind you, who needs enemies?

40 comments:

Anonymous
said...

The Lib-Con coalition appears to be shaking in their boots these days. Perhaps there is something to hide? More scandals, more corruption, more back room deals to be exposed?I now have 3 reasons to NEVER EVER vote Tory. Reynolds, Hochstein, and now ODA!!! The pompousness of these individuals needs to be flushed out of politics for good. Did I mention Mr. Harper?

I doubt that it would matter which Liberal minister would get in, if they oust Christy.

They all supported Campbell, with his destruction of BC. Campbell works for Harper, and so do the rest of the Liberals. Boessenkool works for Harper, and is in with Christy and her Liberals. I guess Boessenkool hasn't done such a good job, as an adviser.

The BC Conservatives also support Harper on the Enbridge pipeline. I can't see any difference in any of those party's. Then Van Dongen took 12 years to see he didn't like the BC Liberals. He certainly supported Campbell, with his theft and sale of the BCR. A hell of a lot more was stolen from the BC people, than $6 million for the Basi/Virk legal fees. I'm not buying any of it.

As far as Anon. having 3 reasons to NEVER EVER vote Tory, I have over 30 reasons to never ever vote NDP, and never have.

We'll begin with the NDP's insistence of special privilege for unions and continue on with their constant griping and moaning about everything, and yet fail to deliver when they become government in fixing the problems they want fixed while being in opposition.

So Anon 5:53:00 PM PDT, I take it you agree with the theft of BC Rail,the gutting and driving into bankruptcy of BC Hydro and BC Ferries, not to mention the despicable sleazy way your friends in the Liebrel party bought in the GST after lying their faces off during the election.

To Anon 5:53: How about some real facts, not just talking points? Like the other poster said, you have 30 talking points, everyone here has 100. I have $60 BILLION (debt) reasons to never EVER vote for the Libturds. You just keep supporting the Libs with the leader Flying Phil Hochstein. (Nice try again Hackstein on your favourite propaganda machine.)

"So Anon 5:53:00 PM PDT, I take it you agree with the theft of BC Rail,"

Wrong there.

"the gutting and driving into bankruptcy of BC Hydro"

BC Hydro is a Crown Corporation. It technically cannot file for bankruptcy since it is part of the provincial government. Perhaps you could enlighten us on the profits made by the Pakistani project that was trumpted by the NDP??

"and BC Ferries, not to mention the despicable sleazy way your friends in the Liebrel party bought in the GST after lying their faces off during the election. "

"To Anon 5:53: How about some real facts, not just talking points? Like the other poster said, you have 30 talking points, everyone here has 100. I have $60 BILLION (debt) reasons to never EVER vote for the Libturds. You just keep supporting the Libs with the leader Flying Phil Hochstein. (Nice try again Hackstein on your favourite propaganda machine.)"

That comment was so comical, where do I begin?

let's start with this:

"Everyone here has 100". But if you read Anon. 12:01 he clearly said:

' now have 3 reasons to NEVER EVER vote Tory. Reynolds, Hochstein, and now ODA!!'

There wasn't any mention of the BC Liberals.

and this line:

"I have $60 BILLION (debt) reasons to never EVER vote for the Libturds. You just keep supporting the Libs with the leader Flying Phil Hochstein. (Nice try again Hackstein on your favourite propaganda machine.)"

Where was it I said that I supported Hochstein? Or that I supported the Liberals? This is typical of those who obviously have too much time on their hands making wrong assumptions. Careful with that. I could make assumptions about the poster Anon. 7:55, but won't. Simply because I don't know the person, and as for his personal political support and positions, I simply don't give a rat's ass. He has his political views and I have mine.

This is a democracy people. if you can't handle contrary opinions without making silly assumptions about people you don't know, then i would suggest another hobby such as collecting Archie comic books.

We here are wondering that if you will never vote NDP, then what is left? Name your party. Who did you vote for in 2009? No bs, please!!We need a laugh! After all, you troll all the left leaning blogs and yet have to name your poison.

"We here are wondering that if you will never vote NDP, then what is left?"

Who is "we" and to what aspect of "we" does Anon Tuesday 11:08 represent?

As to what is left, there are Independent candidates, Green Canddidates and maybe BC Conservative candidates. Quite a few choices left, actually.

Name your party. Who did you vote for in 2009?

As to whom I voted for in 2009, it is my business and my business only. It is not yours or anyone else's busienss as to which person I voted for.

This is British Columbia, a democratic society, not the Democratic Republic of East Germany, which was not. What exactly are you there Anon 11:08, a Voter Stazi? Wanting to emulate the Socialist society that existed in that country by insisting on knowning who people voted for?

"No bs, please!!"

No need, yours is good enough.

We need a laugh! After all, you troll all the left leaning blogs and yet have to name your poison.

It doesn't matter who is the figurehead of the Liberal party, the by-election results would have been the same no matter who "won" that leadership. Gordon Campbell and the rest of his wrecking crew sunk the party with their thieving and lying ways. The people of BC are fed up and going to get rid of them, Christy Clark or no Christy Clark.

When I hear the arrogant, deceitful, incompetent and corrupt BC Liberals talk about keeping the "free enterprise coalition" together I understand that they really mean to keep their "crony capitalists" in power. They are like the snake oil salesmen of old, putting an attractive label on something that is ineffective and rotten to the core.

"When I hear the arrogant, deceitful, incompetent and corrupt BC Liberals talk about keeping the "free enterprise coalition" together I understand that they really mean to keep their "crony capitalists" in power. They are like the snake oil salesmen of old, putting an attractive label on something that is ineffective and rotten to the core."

So what happens on the NDP side? The Big Labour boys and girls want their own power and will do anything to get it. Look at Jim Sinclair. Wants the influence. Wants Dix in his front pocket.

Wonder if there would be a "coalition" of the NDP and the Greens??

The NDP has in the past been snake oil salesmen. Putting an attractive label on something that ended up being as reliable as the old Hyundai Pony cars.

"Yup, another over the top NDP supporter who figures he's better than anyone else."Sorry, wrong again. I actually support Cummins bid to clean up the corruption in Victoria. His mistake will be in accepting disgruntled Libs with a shakey past, such as Van Dongen.Not now a Dix fan and won't be without him being serious about the debt issue. I do NOT want this province to stumble financially like Greece, borrowing billions to support silly projects, and being unable to pay back. Hardly an NDP philosophy, don't you think?BTW, I see you hate the NDP, but you consistently avoid telling us what you would recommend. Now is a good opportunity.

If the best the Liberals can do to fix the mess in BC is hire Pamela Martin at taxpayers expense, they will be finished in 2013, just like the old Socreds and the PDA. So then who should one pick if the New Democrats are no good? Any suggestions?

So what are they going to do, trade Clark for Falcon. They are both the faces of corruption. I think that we all need to get our heads out of where ever they are buried, breath some air, and get our brains in gear. If we don't, let me say only this 'we screwed'.

"Sorry, wrong again. I actually support Cummins bid to clean up the corruption in Victoria. His mistake will be in accepting disgruntled Libs with a shakey past, such as Van Dongen."

Cummins has already made several mistkakes. One is bringing in Randy White, another is still keeping that religious President of the BC Tories (hopefully the BC Tories will dump him at the September AGM).

Van Dongen is another mistake.

The biggest one is that the BC Tories couldn't win Chilliwack which is one of the easiest wins for Cummins.

The Party has yet to provce itself.

"Not now a Dix fan and won't be without him being serious about the debt issue. I do NOT want this province to stumble financially like Greece, borrowing billions to support silly projects, and being unable to pay back. Hardly an NDPphilosophy, don't you think?"

Correct there. The NDP has said they would do this and that and it will cost alot of taxpayer money. More than the budget can handle.

"BTW, I see you hate the NDP, but you consistently avoid telling us what you would recommend. Now is a good opportunity."

Currently reviewing options. There's only two. Either vote for the BC Tories, or just spoil the ballot the BC Tories are not up to being a governning party.

That "Contract with BC" is laughable. The policies are ambigious and vague.

Need to see alot more before the BC Tories get my vote. The Liberals are not recommended.

"If the best the Liberals can do to fix the mess in BC is hire Pamela Martin at taxpayers expense, they will be finished in 2013, just like the old Socreds and the PDA. So then who should one pick if the New Democrats are no good? Any suggestions"

At this time, no, just put your hand on the wheel and give it a spin. At this time, voting Green just to vote for someone (as opposed to spoiling the ballot) might be worthy of consideration.

Pamela Martin has to go. A pure waste of taxpayer money. Many Liberals are of the same opinion.

Reynolds has too high an opinion of himself & his importance in the world around him. If clark doesn't want to go she can just stay. The lieberal mla's aren't going to resign or sit as independants. A lot of them would loose money if they did.

It doesn't matter who is running the show or what they call themselves people know each & everyone of them was involved in the mess which is now B.C.

When people go to vote this time they may well just vote for who can do something for them & not the policians friends or foreign nationals or multi national corporations.

People Know this about the lieberals:

- the deficiet is the highest it has ever been.- the hospitals are so dirty people are dying in them because of it & not what they were in for in the first place.- we have the highest child poverty rate in Canada 8 yrs running & no way out.- people can't maintain their lifestyles & we now have the highest consumer debt in Canada.- there have been increases in electricity, bus fares, ferry fares, tolls, etc.- incomes have not kept up to the increased cost of living inflicked by the lieberals.- the drs. aren't being fairly treated & its on the nightly news.- the paramedics were treated unfairly.- the teachers aren't being treated fairly.- the leiberals don't want an inquiry into B.C. Rail.- children in B.C. can't get needed health care & 40 of them need surgery at Children's hospital.

If a government can't even keep its hospitals clean so people don't die there from infections they didnt' have when they arrived then they aren't fit to run this province.

Someone suggested spinning a roulette wheel. Boy is that childish. I suggest that strategic voting is a more intelligent choice with the vote cast to the candidate best able to defeat a current Liberal mla if there is one in the riding.

No one suggested strategic voting in terms of outcome previous to anon. 0900. The simple way to defeat an incumbent MLA is simply to vote for the candidate who represents the better option of new government. KiSs keep it simple. Vote FOR something not against something

We got quite a giggle over Christy and her hospitals for the Island speech. The Libs have been stonewalling the idea and for awhile decided one hospital would do, putting it halfway between Campbell River and Comox.( one can only wonder who owned the property the were to use) Now she tells us that we wanted two and they listened( I guess the arguments for or against)suddenly made her and her gang catch on. The Island needed those hospitals and now they will be built. staffing will no doubt be a discussion for a later date.We wonder if she actually has any idea about doing the right thing or just likes to see her mug on TV

to Annon. 10:56 p.m. If one of your friends or relatives have died in hospital from an infection they got there it isn't really whinning. Its called grieving. 83 died in Burnaby General. do you think their relatives & friends are whinning or grieving?

If one of the 2 dermatologists in Kamloops is leaving, having skin cancer won't be fun. its not whinning, its a death sentence if it isn't dealt with.

Being concerned about child poverty isn't whinning. It means being concerned about whether children go to bed hungry & cold at night. Children who live below the poverty line are more likely to have mental & physical health issues, more likely to not go on to post secondary education, more likely to not be successful as adults.

If its one of your children waiting to have their legs operated on so they can have 2 even legs when they grow up, that isn't whinning its making sure your child grows into a healthy adult.

Perhaps if you are so wealth you don't have to worry about health care, education, etc. Good on you but the majority in this province do have to take these things into consideration. When a government isn't doing its job it is perfectly appropriate to point out the government's short commings. Its not whinning, its political commentary.

A lot of the government's shortcomings do not affect me. No kids, healthly, not a dr. or public employee, etc. just a retired aging baby boomer with a nice pension who would like to ensure the next generation can earn a decent living, find a dr. for their kids, etc.

"If one of your friends or relatives have died in hospital from an infection they got there it isn't really whinning. Its called grieving. 83 died in Burnaby General. do you think their relatives & friends are whinning or grieving?"

They aren't but you are on this particular subject. I had a friend who was in severe pain and had to wait far too long for corrective surgury. That was when the NDP was in government in the 1990s.

"If one of the 2 dermatologists in Kamloops is leaving, having skin cancer won't be fun. its not whinning, its a death sentence if it isn't dealt with."

But in your case it is whining. There's nothing medically new in your response.

"Being concerned about child poverty isn't whinning. It means being concerned about whether children go to bed hungry & cold at night. Children who live below the poverty line are more likely to have mental & physical health issues, more likely to not go on to post secondary education, more likely to not be successful as adults."

Correct and do you think for one minute the NDP is going to correct that or completely eliminate it?If you do, I have an old highway bridge I can sell you. The DTESpoverty industry hasn't made much progress in elimination of the severe poverty there.

"If its one of your children waiting to have their legs operated on so they can have 2 even legs when they grow up, that isn't whinning its making sure your child grows into a healthy adult."

It is on your part.

"Perhaps if you are so wealth you don't have to worry about health care, education, etc. Good on you but the majority in this province do have to take these things into consideration."

Well my good friend, I have friends who have medical problems to varying degrees. One almost got to severe nervous breakdown, but I don't blame inaction on the BC Liberals for that. I help him every way I can. Being there for him, and for other friends being supportive (they are all conservatives not left wingers, and are aware of the problems in the health care sytem, which they recognise has been decades in the making since Paul Martin cut off health care funding to the provinces.)

When a government isn't doing its job it is perfectly appropriate to point out the government's short commings. Its not whinning, its political commentary.

It's also not being realistic. Government must help those who need it no question, but government can only do so much. It is better to come up with an economic climate for more dollars than it is to tax the begeezus out of a small number of large corporations in the province.

and don't figure the NDP is going to be able to fix the problems within 3 years. It will take alot longer than that, and some of these problems in the health care system can go back to Social Credit days and the NDP did very little to fix.

A lot of the government's shortcomings do not affect me. No kids, healthly, not a dr. or public employee, etc. just a retired aging baby boomer with a nice pension who would like to ensure the next generation can earn a decent living, find a dr. for their kids, etc.

Sure. In other words a left whiner with a nice pension. People can find a decent living without your help, thank you.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^You are wasting your typing skills on someone pre-programmed. No sense in wasting more time as the poster isn't listening or learning. I suspect the poster will spit out the "socialism" card once again. Ho hum.

Well.put e.a.f. Many people keep a blind eye on things until something hits them personally. We all know people who have hard time keeping things going. Each cut back hurts somebody and its only a very few who don't seem to need for much of anything.Federally there are a huge number of employees waiting to see if they will be fired.Losing a job not only hurts that family but affects others who run the stores, services , so such things do affect a lot of others.Today, many thousands of people are doing a 10K run in support of cancer survivors and those still with the disease. And true to form, somebody will be writing a letter to the editor complaining how those people made him change his route ,driving across town.

"Well.put e.a.f. Many people keep a blind eye on things until something hits them personally."

Left and right, yes.

"We all know people who have hard time keeping things going. Each cut back hurts somebody and its only a very few who don't seem to need for much of anything.

Not bad. What happens when this situation hits with an NDP government in it's third year?

Federally there are a huge number of employees waiting to see if they will be fired.Losing a job not only hurts that family but affects others who run the stores, services , so such things do affect a lot of others.

Very true. It also hurts very badly when a business has to close when there is not enough revenue to keep it going. Ever considered that? Public Service is very rewarding but it should not mean a permaent job for any specific person for life. The federal Liberals and many NDP governments have had to cut back on government positions.

There's only so much money govenrment has to pay out for the public service.

Keep the jobs that are needed. Improve efficiencies. If you need only 4 wicket counters to minimize delays and be efficient, don't hire to staff out 10 wicket counters.

Today, many thousands of people are doing a 10K run in support of cancer survivors and those still with the disease. And true to form, somebody will be writing a letter to the editor complaining how those people made him change his route ,driving across town.

True. Protests on the other hand if they impromptu get out onto the streets blockign trafifc are pests. The two are not comparable.

Anonymous said... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^You are wasting your typing skills on someone pre-programmed. No sense in wasting more time as the poster isn't listening or learning. I suspect the poster will spit out the "socialism" card once again. Ho hum.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^e.a.f's commentary is an example of being pre-programed. His contribution isn't all that different from one read and heard at an NDP convention in 1987.

No need to spit out the "socialism card". The NDP is democratic socialist (their base ideaology) but one has to wonder about the democratic part.

Bill Tieleman and Senator Larry Campbell, former Vancouver mayor

Jim Sinclair, Cindy Oliver, Ken Georgetti and Bill Tieleman

Bill Tieleman's coverage of the Basi-Virk/BC Legislature Raid Case praised by other journalists:

"This outstanding piece of journalism, in The Tyee, is the work of a journalist who has been deeply involved with this issue from the start and this article should be passed on as far and wide as possible."

"Bill Tieleman from 24 hours . . . . If you want to know about this trial and about this case, you have to read his blog – I mean, that’s just all there is to it – it’s required reading if you want to understand the BC Legislature Raid situation."

- Mike Smyth, columnist, The Province

"The Basi-Virk case....you’ve probably sat through more of these hearings and gone through more of the files and written about it than any other journalist in the province."

- Bill Good, host, The Bill Good Show, CKNW/Corus Radio Network

"Tieleman ...has done a first-rate job covering the trial."

- Paul Willcocks, columnist, the Victoria Times-Colonist

"Tieleman, who marries a considerable journalistic talent with one of the smartest political minds in the province, has been writing more web-exclusive material. And his coverage of the Basi-Virk trial is a must-read -- whether you're an insider or an outsider."

"24 Hours, the Vancouver paper that has been leading the coverage, as well as the hints of conspiracy in B.C."

- Norman Spector, columnist, Globe and Mail

"Although the major media in this circumstance has been giving the case significant coverage, Tieleman's reports on his blog have been outstanding.

The entire cut and thrust of legal wrangling and arguments has been covered and is accompanied by considered analysis.....His blog site coverage of the Basi-Virk trial is the most in depth treatment of one of British Columbia's biggest political scandals."

- Bill Bell, columnist, The North Shore News

"Mr. Tieleman has published online dispatches which, freed from the limitations of newsprint space or broadcast time, can run at length. They also remain available for those select readers who become obsessed with a case also known as Railgate.....

In another bizarre twist to a story with no shortage of them, Mr. Tieleman went to work one day in December only to discover his office had been ransacked. Bookcases had been tipped over and papers strewn, but nothing was missing.

To top it off, a press kit for the self-published novel The Raid, written by a retired military officer in Metchosin and featuring on its cover a photograph from the 2003 police raid, had been left in a conspicuous place."

- Tom Hawthorn, columnist, The Globe and Mail

Nobody has followed the Basi-Virk affair over its past five years with greater diligence than local journalist, Bill Tieleman....Tieleman deserves our thanks, a fistful of journalism awards and some merit citation for citizenship.